Qantas First Lounge spa: new treatments, more preflight pampering
By David Flynn, June 4 2014
Qantas is refreshing the day spa at the airline's Sydney and Melbourne first class lounges with a range of new treatments based on Aurora Spa Rituals products.
Those treatments are now shorter, lasting for 20 minutes instead of the previous 30 to 50 minutes, so that many more travellers can enjoy a chance to unwind before jetting off.
Here's the new treatment menu which soft-launched over the weekend.
Bliss back massage: soothing massage with gentle relaxation techniques to balance the body.
De-stress back massage: therapeutic back massage to alleviate stress and muscle tension
Reviving neck, shoulder & scalp massage: focussed on alleviated muscle tension and rebalancing the mind
Spa foot therapy: pre-flight circulation boosting treatment for the feet, with a foot and lower leg exfoliation and message.
Spa hand therapy: hydrating treatment for the hands, including a hand and arm exfoliation and massage.
Men's purifying facial: deep cleaning facial for men to hydrate, repair and balance all skin types. Includes a hot towel treatment, tone and exfoliation, face masque, scalp massage and application of a soothing moisturiser.
Radiant spa facial: hydrating facial to brighten and nourish all skin types. Includes a deep cleanse, tone and exfoliation, face massage and application of a botanically-rich moisturiser.
Refresh & refine eye treatment: focussed treatment to brighten and refresh eyes. Includes a facial cleanse and tone, eye massage to increase circulation, eye masque and application of eye cream and moisturiser and along with a choice of a scalp massage or acupressure foot massage.
There are also two unique 'signature' treatments, one each for the Sydney and Melbourne spa.
Sydney Signature: Back exfoliation followed by application of a deep cleaning white clay masque, a relaxing foot massage and an application of a botanically rich body cream over the back.
Melbourne Signature: Soothing foot massage followed by a hand massage to treat and calm the skin, a scalp and neck massage and a hot towel compress.
Passengers booked in Qantas first class out of Sydney and Melbourne receive a phone call the day before they fly, offering their choice of treatment and session time.
For everybody else visiting the Qantas First Lounges – including Platinum-grade Qantas Frequent Flyers and travellers on Emirates and Oneworld partner airlines (including British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Malaysia Airlines) – the treatments are available on a 'first come, first blissed out' basis.
(Our advice: when you arrive at the Qantas First Lounge head straight to the spa to book any available session before settling down at the restaurant.)
New Rituals products by Aurora Spa
The Qantas First Lounge spas are now operated by Aurora Spa, with Aurora's Rituals products used in all treatments, replacing the previous Payot of Paris products.
It's an interesting change, and notable not only because Aurora is an Australian success story.
The Rituals products are more closely aligned with an 'urban spa' concept of wellness and the botanically-based products include many Australian ingredients such as wattleseed plus essential oils.
The Aurora Spa Rituals products such as handwash, hand cream, body cleanser, shampoo and conditioner are already found in the bathrooms of the Qantas Sydney and Melbourne International Business Lounges, Hong Kong and Singapore Lounges, and will be introduced to all Qantas domestic and international business lounges over the next 12 months.
Qantas says that Aurora is also developing "an exclusive bespoke product range for Qantas International First Lounges in Sydney, Melbourne and Los Angeles, which will be available towards the end of the year."
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David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
20 Aug 2012
Total posts 124
I can understand the need to try and fit more people in for a spa treatment, but 20 mins does seem quite short. Just as you are starting to attempt relaxation and unwind,your time is up! The treatment would feel rushed, defeating the purpose of unwinding and relaxing.
50 mins though was a bit overboard. I think a 30 minute treatment would be the ideal sweet spot, between actually having a decent treatment and providing more appointments.
Could someone by the way please answer for me if the opening times for Aurora spa going to change I.e. Possibly extend opening times.
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2560
Skipp: opening times remain the same, 8.30am to 4.30pm for Sydney and 8am to 7pm for Melbourne.
As for the 20 minute session times: I had a treatment yesterday (the men's purifying facial) and despite having many 'components' to the treatment it wasn't at all rushed. Trust me, and try one for yourself, I think you'll be surprised.
14 Jun 2013
Total posts 352
Skipp, be reasonable. You're getting a FREE version of a treatment which would cost over $100 - the full men's purifying facial costs $170 at the Aurora Spa (see https://aurorasparetreat.com.au/spa-treatments/face.html). Sure that would be longer but here you get to use a first class lounge, enjoy amazing food and get a free spa treatment and you are having a bit of a whinge because it's only 20 minutes and not 30 minutes?
I'm happy with 20 minute treatments because it means I have more chance to get a treatment, often I get to the Sydney lounge and the spa is all booked out.
19 May 2014
Total posts 40
Skipp your not paying
your employer is
so stop complaining
unlike some of us who actually pay and denied treatments because these platys are lining up to have their colonics.
Outsourced ex-airline staff
04 Jun 2014
Total posts 13
.."RQ" .... Thanks for the laugh... I can't remember when I last laughed so hard.... Please quit your day job and get into stand-up comedy !.. .... lol.. You Ozzies don't know how good you have it ... Just look at the United States airiline industry to see where the future of the '1st World' lies....
Cheers....
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Jun 2014
Total posts 1
Got to agree with Skipp here, reducing the time for treatments is a step back for Qantas. Comapre this with the 1 hour spa treatments available at Thai's Royal Orchid Spa in BKK...
28 Oct 2011
Total posts 645
maybe 1 pax could book 2 (3)treatments 'one after the other'.?? .. I don't see it as step back....I just see it as a better utilization of time
22 Jul 2011
Total posts 95
Looks like LAX is getting a spa then, which is great.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Jan 2013
Total posts 698
Sad to see Payot go, but then it was always on the cards once they stopped giving out the Payot First amenity bags (which were awesome!).
I do think the 20 minute treatments limit introduction is more of a 'portion control' policy than anything else, but as David said it is still possible to have a simple relaxing treatment in 20 minutes (and the upside is that more people have a chance of getting a treatment).
How relaxing a treatment is influenced the most by the skill of the therapist than anything else - and at the Qantas First lounge I've had some very nice treatments, but a couple of shockers too - so as long as high levels of training are maintained, it shouldn't really make much difference.
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2560
Gipps: yes, the therapist makes a big difference. Several of the familiar faces from the Sydney spa have gone in recent months - I'd not attribute any reason nor rumour to this – Gina is still there and as always does a top job, but Rania left a while back, and my favourite Yoannita left just this week to work at the spa at the Sydney Star hotel. :(
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